Jacinta Price withdraws from 2GB interview with Ben Fordham due to ‘family tragedy’
Senator Jacinta Price has pulled out of a radio interview at the last minute citing a “family tragedy”, just hours after her calls for a royal commission into the sexual abuse of Indigenous children were rejected.
It’s been a rollercoaster few days for the country’s Liberal senator and leading No campaigner – seen by some as a future prime minister – following the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.
The shadow Indigenous Affairs minister fought back tears as she launched a scathing attack on the federal government in a powerful video message on Tuesday evening after its attempts to launch a formal investigation into the sexual abuse of Aboriginal children were rejected.
2GB breakfast presenter Ben Fordham revealed on his show on Wednesday that he invited Senator Price to speak on his program but she had to pull out.
Senator Jacinta Price (pictured) withdrew from a radio interview due to a family tragedy, according to Ben Fordham
“I just checked in with her, she was supposed to join us, but there was a family tragedy overnight involving a family member, so she’s not in the best mood to talk to us this morning.” , Fordham explained.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Senator Price’s office for comment.
The latest family tragedy comes three years after her cousin Kumanjayi Presley was fatally stabbed in Alice Springs.
Her aunt, Marion Nabarula Nelson, disappeared from a remote part of the Northern Territory in 1982. She was never found.
On Tuesday evening, Senator Price sent an emotional video message directly to the Australian public explaining the outcome of the urgency motion she tabled in the Senate earlier that afternoon.
She said she had “never been so incredibly furious” in the 11-minute video, fighting back tears at various stages as she described why this issue is so important to her.
Jacinta Price fought back tears in a powerful video message to Australians on Tuesday evening
During her call for the Government and the cross bench to support a Royal Commission, Ms Price shared several real-life examples of Indigenous children being sexually abused.
One such story involved her niece, who at the age of 15 was “beaten and raped by her own father” and forced her to leave home.
‘(She) endured horrific abuse for years and at first tried to get support from family who didn’t believe her… it wasn’t until my cousin took her to the police so she could report it, and she was told she had incredible courage at 17 age to be heard and testify,” Ms. Price said, fighting back tears.
Price also revealed earlier this week that her family was targeted by vandals after the Voice referendum failed.